Urgent Reminder: Do Not Leave Your Section 21 Claim Until Friday

With the Renters' Rights Act now in force and Section 21 abolished, landlords who have already served a valid Section 21 notice have only a very short window remaining to protect their position.

The deadline to have your possession claim issued by the court is Friday 31st July 2026. If you miss this deadline, your Section 21 notice will no longer be enforceable and you will lose the ability to seek possession using that notice.

Don't Leave It Until the Last Minute

We strongly urge landlords not to wait until Friday or the final hours before the deadline.

Court systems can experience delays, online portals can encounter technical issues, and any errors in your application may leave you unable to issue proceedings in time. Once the deadline passes, there is no indication that extensions will be available.

If you have:

• Served a valid Section 21 notice before 1st May 2026

• Reached the expiry date of that notice

• Not yet applied to the court for possession

you should take action immediately. After the deadline, the Section 21 route will be lost and landlords will need to rely on the grounds available under Section 8 where applicable.

Check Before You Submit

Before making your application, ensure you have:

• A copy of the Section 21 notice served

• Evidence of service

• Tenancy agreement documentation

• Deposit protection information (where required)

• Gas Safety Certificate (where applicable)

• EPC documentation

• Evidence that the required prescribed information was provided to the tenant

  
  

A mistake discovered after the deadline could mean there is no opportunity to correct the issue by serving a fresh Section 21 notice, as the notice can no longer be used following abolition.

Need Help?

If you are unsure whether your Section 21 notice remains valid, whether you have sufficient documentation, or how to start possession proceedings, contact the ELA as soon as possible.

The key message is simple: if you intend to rely on a Section 21 notice that was served before abolition, act now. Do not leave it until the last day.